Tag: removing uterine fibroids

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Fibroids

UFE: An Alternative to Surgery

Uterine Fibroid Embolization is a very effective, minimally-invasive procedure to remove uterine fibroids. UFE also has a shorter recovery.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization is a very effective, minimally-invasive procedure to remove uterine fibroids. It can also be an alternative to a major surgery such as a hysterectomy or a myomectomy, and has a much shorter recovery time. 

Unlike major surgery to remove fibroids which can require a few nights in the hospital and several weeks or even months to fully recover- UFE is an outpatient procedure, with a much shorter recovery time.

During UFE, a tiny catheter is inserted through a blood vessel in the leg or wrist, which is then guided to the blood vessels that feed the fibroids. Once it reaches that point, small particles are injected into the vessel to block the artery and cut off the blood flow to the fibroids.  Then, following the procedure, the patient will return to their home, where over the next few weeks and months, the fibroids will gradually shrink.

One of the many benefits of Uterine Fibroid Embolization is that it targets all fibroids in the uterus. This makes it an excellent treatment option for individuals with only a few fibroids as well as those who have many fibroids, regardless of fibroid size.

In fact, uterine fibroid embolization is so effective that most individuals who undergo the procedure have a dramatic improvement in their symptoms that is experienced when they return to their normal activities a mere 8 to 10 days after the treatment.

So what does it feel like? Does it hurt?

Good question, and we’ll do our best to answer that.

The UFE procedure itself is not painful, however light sedation medications will be administered through an IV in order to prevent any discomfort.  Some women report experiencing a feeling in their pelvis similar to menstrual cramping or heaviness. This is completely normal and is due to the decreased blood supply to the uterus.

Following the procedure, it is also normal to experience low energy, intermittent nausea, and possibly fever- as a result of the dying fibroid tissue.

These symptoms typically last a few days at most, and gradually decrease in severity. Most women report that by the fourth or fifth day following the procedure, they feel back to normal, while some might have a few more days of cramping. Fortunately, most of this discomfort can be easily ameliorated with the help of over-the-counter pain medication.

Since UFE is an outpatient procedure, it’s important to have an area in your home where you can relax and heal after.

You may wish to set up your bed with extra pillows, and your favorite blanket, and if there’s a tv in your relaxation location, having the remote control nearby can be helpful as well.

While resting at home, some cramping can be expected in the lower abdominal region for about 24 hours but will subside quickly. However, most physicians do recommend that patients plan to stay home or at least limit their activities for at least one week following uterine fibroid embolization.

Other restrictions that your doctor may ask you to follow are:

– No bathing for 2 weeks. Shower as normal.

– No tampons for at least one full cycle.

– Abstain from sex for 2 weeks.

– No heavy lifting until your strength fully returns.

– Flights and travel are not recommended for at least 2 weeks.

– Refrain from taking aspirin for at least the first week.

Though recovery times may vary, most patients can return to all normal activities after 2 weeks. Even better, they can expect to experience significant improvements in their pre-op fibroid symptoms, over the course of one to three months. This means no more heavy periods, pelvic pain and pressure, urinary incontinence, or pain during sexual intercourse.

In our next article, we will take a look at the results of the embolization, and the experience and time it usually takes for the fibroids to shrink.

In the meantime, if you are considering Uterine Fibroid Embolization treatment for uterine fibroids, or have any questions about the UFE procedure, please call us at 301-622-5360 and request an appointment at MidAtlantic Vascular and Interventional today!

Categories
Fibroids

Medical Advancements in Fibroid Treatment

MidAtlantic Vascular and Interventional, we specialize in the removable of uterine fibroids, through an advanced medical procedure.

Fortunately for the estimated 26 million women in the United States that have uterine fibroids, huge medical advancements have been made that allow for a variety of treatment methods. These range from medication to hormone therapy, as well as both invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures to remove the fibroids completely.

Here at MidAtlantic Vascular and Interventional, we specialize in the removable of uterine fibroids, through an advanced medical procedure called Uterine Fibroid Embolization.

Unlike medications, which primarily treat the symptoms of fibroids, Uterine Fibroid Embolization, focuses on treating the condition by removing the fibroids themselves.

So what is Uterine Fibroid Embolization? And how does it work?

Good question and we are happy to answer that. But first, let’s take a quick look at what a uterine fibroid is.

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during a woman’s childbearing years. These growths are made of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue. Sometimes fibroids are solitary, but it is also common to have multiple ones.

Uterine fibroids range in size. Some are so tiny that they are undetectable by the human eye alone. While others can be large enough to distort and enlarge the uterus.

How can I tell if I have a fibroid?

When a woman has a fibroid, it is most often discovered during a routine pelvic exam or imaging procedures performed for other reasons. If the fibroid or fibroids do not cause any symptoms, pain, or discomfort, and are not affecting fertility- then they usually do not require treatment. However, when symptoms are present, these can be managed with medications, surgery, and by using minimally invasive techniques.

Some of the symptoms associated with fibroids are:

• Unusually heavy period
• Long than normal periods
• Bleeding in between periods
• Pressure and pain in the pelvis
• Frequent urination
• Lower back pain
• Pain during intercourse
• Difficulty conceiving

Ok, so back to the original question: What is Uterine Fibroid Embolization?

Uterine Fibroid Embolization is a non-invasive procedure to remove uterine fibroids. Rather than requiring general anesthesia, the procedure uses conscious sedation ( an IV of a light sedative) to help you to relax and remain pain-free during the UFE procedure.

Once the sedating medicine has been administered, our expert radiologist will begin the procedure.

The UFE procedure commences with our expert Interventional Radiologist, Dr. Rishi Sood, making a teeny tiny nick in the skin (about the size of the tip of a pencil). He will then thread a tiny 2mm catheter through the groin or wrist. Using moving X-ray technology (fluoroscopy), Dr. Rishi will then guide the catheter through the blood vessels until it reaches the artery that supplies blood to the fibroids.

Once the catheter reaches the artery that supplies blood to the fibroids, tiny gelatin beads are released through it, which travel into the artery, creating a blockage. This blockage cuts off the blood supply to the fibroids. And, without the fibroids being able to receive vital nutrients through the blood, they can not survive.

A blockage? Isn’t that dangerous?

No, in this case, it is not. Unlike a blockage to the heart or other vital organs, this particular blockage is only cutting off the blood supply to the fibroid. The results are remarkable, for, without the fibroids being able to receive vital nutrients through the blood, they shrink until they are altogether eliminated.

Does this sound too good to be true?

Maybe, but rest assured it is not. In fact, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the success rate of uterine fibroid embolization is estimated to be upwards of 95%.

This is great news to the millions of women that are suffering from the pain and discomfort that comes with having uterine fibroids.

In our next article, we will take a look at what you can expect during the UFE procedure. What does it feel like? How long does it take? And what does the recovery period look like?

In the meantime, for more information on Uterine Fibroid Embolization, or to make an appointment for your consultation, please reach out to us at 301-622-5360.

Categories
Fibroids

Short or Long Recovery

The recovery from fibroid surgery can take months. Uterine Fibroid Embolization has a recovery period of about 1-2 weeks.

When it comes to procedures to remove fibroids, some result in shorter recovery periods than others.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization, which we specialize in here at MidAtlantic Vascular and Interventional, has a recovery period of about 1-2 weeks, with most women finding they can resume their normal activities after a few days. This is remarkable considering that most fibroid removal procedures are done surgically with a post-operation recovery period of several weeks or even months.

Not only that, but these surgeries such as a hysterectomy or a myomectomy, often require a few nights in the hospital following the procedure. This is not the case with Uterine Fibroid Embolization.

In order to get a better understanding of how groundbreaking UFE is as an outpatient fibroid removal procedure with a much shorter recovery period, we’re going to take a look at what can be expected following another common fibroid removal procedure: a myomectomy.

When it comes to the recovery period after electing to remove uterine fibroids through a major surgery such as a myomectomy, the recovery timeline varies. Unlike a hysterectomy, which can take weeks and even months to recover from and requires a hospital stay following the procedure, a myomectomy recovery depends on the severity of the fibroids and the approach taken to remove them while keeping the uterus intact.

As we’ve covered in previous articles about the surgical removal of fibroids, a myomectomy is a surgical procedure that removes uterine fibroids while keeping the uterus intact and is a treatment option for women who wish to have children after the fibroids are removed, or who wish to keep their uterus for other reasons.

As a quick recap- let’s take a look at the three main types of myomectomies, which are: laparoscopic myomectomy, abdominal myomectomy, and hysteroscopic myomectomy.

Abdominal Myomectomy

This is the most invasive method of performing a myomectomy and involved the administration of general anesthesia. During this procedure, the doctor will make an incision that starts at the lower abdomen and reaches the uterus. Then, using this incision, the doctor will remove the fibroids and then proceed to close the wound with stitches.

Laparoscopic Myomectomy

Similar to an abdominal myomectomy, though less invasive, this procedure also requires the use of general anesthesia. After making several small cuts in the lower abdomen, the stomach is filled with carbon dioxide gas in order to provide the doctor with a better look inside the abdomen. The doctor will then insert a thin lighted tube with a camera on top, called a laparoscope. Then, using special tools, the fibroids are removed, the gas is released, and the incisions are stitched up.

Hysteroscopic Myomectomy

This is the least invasive of the myomectomies and may use general or local anesthesia. It begins with the doctor putting a liquid inside of the uterus in order to make it widen, and therefore make the fibroids more visible. Then, using a lighted scope and a wire loop, which are entered through the vagina and cervix, the fibroids are shaved off of the uterus. Once finished removing the fibroids, the liquid is also removed, which gets rid of any fibroid fragments that remain.

Since a hysteroscopic myomectomy doesn’t involve any external incisions, the recovery time is much shorter than the other types of myomectomies.  And in general, women who have a hysteroscopic myomectomy generally experience fewer complications, while also experiencing a shorter recovery time than that of the other types of myomectomies. However, regardless of the type of myomectomy, it will still take a few weeks for the body to heal.

In our next article, we are going to look at exactly what is to be expected following a myomectomy in regards to the recovery time, so as to compare it to the recovery time that is to be expected following the non-invasive fibroid removal procedure, Uterine Fibroid Embolization. 

To learn more about Uterine Fibroid Embolization as a treatment for uterine fibroids, please call us today to set up a consultation. A myomectomy or a hysterectomy is not the only option. So call us today to find out more.